Phil Ivey enters Daily Fantasy Sports World

Phil Ivey is making the transition to the daily fantasy sports (DFS) world, but unlike some fellow poker pros, it won’t be as a player. Instead, Ivey is opening his own site called PhilIveyDFS.com.

The upcoming DFS site will run on the iTeam Network and provide players with another alternative to industry leading giants DraftKings and FanDuel.

“Over the past few years, I’ve been looking for more ways to share with fans my perspective on daily fantasy sports,” says Ivey. “I was honored to have multiple options, but iTEAM Network’s focus on compliance and the core technology, along with the leadership of Gabe Hunterton, ultimately made it a pretty easy decision.”

Hunterton, the current CEO of iTeam Network, was dealing cards at El Cortez Casino in Las Vegas 16 years ago. He’s since worked his way up to various higher roles, such as Chief Operating Officer of StarWorld Hotel and Casino. Now he’s looking to help PhilIveyDFS succeed on the iTeam Network, and here’s a look at what he had to say:

“We are always looking for quality brands and partners in the world of fantasy [and] there is no elite-level individual that fans want to follow and learn from more than Ivey. Ivey’s team engaged in extended due diligence, which we welcomed in light of our commitment to conservative regulatory practices and great user experiences.

“There is a large crossover between poker players and DFS players. Adding the Phil Ivey brand will substantially increase network-wide player liquidity and prize pools. We have already started an aggressive marketing and execution plan in which PhilIveyDFS users will be able to compete immediately for more than $20,000 in weekly pro basketball contests and interact directly with Ivey.”

Hunterton’s story somewhat mirrors the rise of Phil Ivey, who went from a teenager using fake IDs to play poker in Atlantic City, to becoming a 10-time WSOP champion. In recent years, Ivey has transitioned more of his time to the business world, where he’s started IveyLeague poker training and opened a sports agency called All In Entertainment. Now, he set for yet another business venture with his soon-to-be-launched DFS site.

With the daily fantasy sports world exploding and people like Aaron Jones winning $5 million, it’s little wonder why Ivey wants to jump on this trend while it’s still hot.